SCORE: Tennessee 6, Mississippi State 5 | FINAL

***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***

Top-ranked Tennessee baseball (47-11, 22-8 SEC) is set to battle No. 15 Mississippi State (38-20, 17-13 SEC) Friday night in Hoover in game 14 of the SEC Tournament. The matchup serves as Tennessee’s third game in Hoover and Mississippi State’s fourth.

First pitch in Hoover Met is currently scheduled for approximately 7:40 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.

This will be Tennessee’s first matchup against Mississippi State this season. Mississippi State has been a top half SEC team all year and finished third in the SEC West. State is the 5-seed in the tournament, while Tennessee is the top seed.

Tennessee enters Friday’s matchup coming off a 7-4 win over 4-seed Texas A&M on Thursday night. The win served as a bounceback for the Vols after their ugly 13-4 loss to 8-seed Vanderbilt on Tuesday.

Kavares Tears hit a clutch three-run homer in the win while AJ Causey was once again stellar in relief. Chris Stamos also turned in a season-long outing and looked the best he has all season since taking on a starter role.

RECAP: Vols Glide Past A&M to Stay Alive in Hoover

One of the most important storylines of the week is that in Tennessee’s loss to Vanderbilt, star sophomore pitcher AJ Russell returned to action after nearly a two-month long absence. He bounced back after allowing a pair of baserunners to record a scoreless inning on 22 pitches.

RETURN: AJ Russell is back for Tennessee

Mississippi State enters Friday’s matchup coming off a 4-3 loss to 8-seed Vanderbilt on late Thursday night. Mississippi State had won their first two games in Hoover prior to the Vanderbilt loss, beating 4-seed Texas A&M 5-3 and 12-seed Ole Miss 2-1.

Friday night’s matchup is an elimination game for both sides. The winner will face off against Vanderbilt in what would be an SEC Tournament rematch for both UT and MSU on Saturday night in Hoover Met. Tennessee figures to have the edge against the Bulldogs given Mississippi State’s lack of remaining pitching depth. On the other side, Tennessee has the luxury of using the fresh duo of Drew Beam and Aaron Combs on the mound.

Prior to Hoover, the Vols are coming off a series sweep over South Carolina in Knoxville that ultimately gave them a share of the SEC regular season crown with Kentucky. Additionally, the series sweep gave Tennessee the No. 1 overall seed in the SEC Tournament.

Read more about Tennessee winning the SEC here.

PITCHING: Tony Vitello announces starting pitcher for Mississippi State game

TRANSCRIPT: Tony Vitello Discusses SEC Tournament Victory Against Texas A&M

Injury Note

-Sophomore RHP AJ Russell is officially ON the ACTIVE roster this week in Hoover, having made his return Wednesday night vs. Vanderbilt. No surprise after Tony Vitello’s update last Saturday.

For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, including RTI’s INSTANT reaction to Tennessee’s win over Texas A&M, click here.

For the latest RTI Press Pass baseball podcast, click here.

More From RTI: Tennessee Baseball vs. Mississippi State SEC Tournament: How To Watch, What To Know

WATCH: Tony Vitello Discusses SEC Tournament Win Over Texas A&M

Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.

Starting Lineups

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

2B Christian Moore (R)

1B Blake Burke (L)

3B Billy Amick (R)

LF Dylan Dreiling (L)

CF Hunter Ensley (R)

RF Kavares Tears (L)

SS Dean Curley (R)

DH Robin Villeneuve (R)

C Cal Stark (R)

Lineup Notes:

• Robin Villeneuve gets the DH start over Reese Chapman, Dalton Bargo, Cannon Peebles and others. Villeneuve likely gets the nod because MS State is starting a lefty.
• • Villeneuve’s first start of the tournament. Chapman started at DH the first two games in Hoover.
• Other 8 starters the same it’s been as of late in SEC play.

MISSISSIPPI STATE STARTING NINE:

LF Bryce Chance (R)

SS David Mershon (S)

CF Connor Hujsak (R)

RF Dakota Jordan (R)

3B Logan Kohler (L)

2B Amani Larry (R)

1B Hunter Hines (L)

C Joe Powell (R)

DH Ethan Pulliam (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Jr. RHP Drew Beam (8-2, 3.59 ERA, 14 app., 14 starts, 2 CG, 80.1 IP, 85 H, 42 R, 32 ER, 19 BB, 71 K, 15 XBH, .272 opp. batting avg., 1.29 WHIP)

vs.

Bulldogs Jr. LHP Pico Kohn (1-0, 3.32 ERA, 7 app., 6 starts, 19.0 IP, 15 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 8 BB, 25 K, 6 XBH, .217 opp. batting avg., 1.21 WHIP)

Pitching notes:

• Beam gets the start as Tennessee is treating this game like a game two in a three-game series. Don’t expect Drew Beam to throw 100 pitches. He will likely be on a pitch count but will still probably go around 70-80 pitches.
• Kohn made his season debut in mid-March after returning from an injury and has started six times in the last two months. Kohn has started three SEC games and been solid in every appearance he’s made. Kohn’s season-long outing is 4.0 innings (twice).

Uniforms

Tennessee: Smokey Greys

Mississippi State: Maroon tops, white pants

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*NOTES*

• There IS a RUN-RULE today. If Tennessee or Mississippi State leads by 10 or more runs in the seventh inning or later, the game is OVER.
  • The run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play.
• Tennessee is the ROAD team.

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Christian Moore flies out to the warning track in left-center.

• First pitch of the game. Nearly a homer.

-Blake Burke drives a single to left field.

-Billy Amick works a walk.

-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.

-Hunter Ensley reaches on a fielder’s choice to 2B as Amick is out at second, 2B unassisted.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Bryce Chance grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-David Mershon lines out to LF.

-Connor Hujsak strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Bulldogs 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Kavares Tears chops a single up the middle.

-Dean Curley reaches on a fielding error by 3B. Tears advances to second.

• Ball was smoked. Third baseman couldn’t corral it. Would’ve also made sense if it had been ruled a single.

-Robin Villeneuve strikes out swinging.

-Cal Stark flies out to LF.

-Christian Moore pops up to 1B.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Dakota Jordan fouls out to 1B.

-Logan Kohler reaches on a fielding error by 2B.

• Bounced off his glove and sailed into the outfield.

-Amani Larry reaches on a fielder’s choice to 3B. Kohler out at second, 5-4.

• Nearly a double play but Larry just beats Moore’s throw to first. Had Amick made a better throw to second, the double play would’ve been turned. But it was low and on the wrong side of the bag.

Tennessee is CHALLENGING the ruling of Larry being safe at first on a pickoff attempt. 

• Call STANDS as called. Larry safe.

-Hunter Hines flies out to RF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Bulldogs 0

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Blake Burke deposits a single into center field.

-Billy Amick fouls out to 1B.

-Dylan Dreiling HBP. Burke advances to second.

• Trainer Jeff Wood checked on Dreiling before he jogged to first. The pitch hit his hand and Dreiling was clearly in some pain. He is staying in the game, however.

-Hunter Ensley singles to LF.

• Bases loaded with one out for Kavares Tears.

-Kavares Tears knocks a sac fly to LF. Burke scores. Dreiling and Ensley stay put.

-Dean Curley grounds out to 2B.

• Flat-out incredible play by Amani Larry. Ball was smoked and Larry dove to prevent a two-run hit, then got up and fired the throw to Hunter Hines in time for out number three. Sports Center Top 10 worthy.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Joe Powell pops up to SS in shallow LF.

-Ethan Pulliam grounds out to 2B.

-Bryce Chance grounds out to P.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Bulldogs 0

4th Inning: 

T4

*Reese Chapman pinch-hitting for Robin Villeneuve*

-Reese Chapman ropes a double to deep LF.

-Cal Stark flies out to the warning track in right center. Chapman advances to third.

-Christian Moore is walked on four pitches.

*Pitching change: LHP Cole Cheatham (0-0, 4.50 ERA) on to pitch for Kohn*

Christian Moore caught stealing at second, 2-6.

Reese Chapman stole home. (While Moore attempted to steal second – double-steal)

-Blake Burke works a walk.

Burke advances to second on a passed ball.

-Billy Amick flies out to LF.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-David Mershon HBP.

• Mershon checked on by a trainer before making his way to first. Pitch hit him hard in the forearm area and he was in pain. Staying in the game, though.

-Connor Hujsak flies out to CF.

Mershon steals second.

-Dakota Jordan fouls out to C.

Mershon steals third.

-Logan Kohler strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Bulldogs 0

5th Inning: 

T5

-Dylan Dreiling grounds out to SS.

-Hunter Ensley works a walk.

-Kavares Tears grounds out to 2B. Ensley advances to second.

• Another real nice defensive play by 2B Amani Larry.

-Dean Curley sends an RBI single through the right side.

-Reese Chapman flies out to CF in right center.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Amani Larry HBP.

-Hunter Hines strikes out looking.

-Joe Powell knocks a single through the left side. Larry advances to second.

-Ethan Pulliam strikes out looking.

-Bryce Chance works a walk.

• Bases loaded with two outs for David Mershon.

-David Mershon works a bases-loaded walk after a long at-bat.

-Connor Hujsak smacks a two-run single up the middle, advances to second on the throw to third. Chance safe at third. Larry and Powell score.

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Aaron Combs (1-1, 2.84 ERA) on to pitch for Beam*

-Dakota Jordan rips a two-run single through the left side.

• Amick dove but couldn’t stop it. Jordan snaps an 0-15 slump with that hit.

-Logan Kohler strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 3, Bulldogs 5

6th Inning: 

T6

*Pitching change: RHP Tyson Hardin (3-2, 3.00 ERA) on to pitch for Cheatham*

-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.

-Christian Moore works a walk.

-Blake Burke works a walk.

-Billy Amick reaches on a fielder’s choice to 1B as Burke is out at second, 3-4. Amick safe at first as the throw was just too late to turn the double play. Moore advances to third.

-Dylan Dreiling flies out to LF.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Amani Larry ropes a double to deep LF.

-Hunter Hines lines out to 2B.

• Moore was playing far back in shallow right field. Worked out as it was hit right to him.

-Joe Powell strikes out looking.

-Ethan Pulliam strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 3, Bulldogs 5

7th Inning: 

T7

-Hunter Ensley singles to SS.

• Throw took Hines off the bag, but it would’ve been a tough play to make.

-Kavares Tears strikes out looking.

-Dean Curley legs out an infield single to 3B. Ensley advances to second.

-Reese Chapman works a walk.

*Cannon Peebles pinch-hitting for Cal Stark*

• Bases loaded for Cannon Peebles with one out.

-Cannon Peebles reaches on an RBI fielder’s choice to SS as Chapman is out at second, 6-4. Ensley scores, Curley advances to third, Curley scores on a throwing error by 2B. Peebles stays put at first.

• Horrific throwing error by Miss St. 2B Amani Larry – who was trying to turn a double play – ties the game.

-Christian Moore grounds out to P.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

*Peebles to C*

*Chapman to DH*

-Bryce Chance is walked on four pitches.

-David Mershon reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS as Chance is out at second, SS unassisted.

-Connor Hujsak strikes out swinging.

Mershon caught stealing at second, 2-4.

MS State CHALLENGED the ruling. Call was CONFIRMED.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bulldogs 5

8th Inning: 

T8

*Pitching change: LHP Tyler Davis (5-0, 1.15 ERA) on to pitch for Hardin*

-Blake Burke hits a towering solo home run to right center.

• Moonshot. 17th HR for Burke on the season.

-Billy Amick pops up to 1B.

-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.

-Hunter Ensley flies out to CF in left-center.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

*Pitching change: So. LHP Andrew Behnke (2-1, 3.54 ERA) on to pitch for Combs*

-Dakota Jordan strikes out swinging.

-Logan Kohler strikes out swinging.

-Amani Larry grounds out to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Bulldogs 5

9th Inning: 

T9

-Kavares Tears grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-Dean Curley pops up to SS.

-Reese Chapman drops a single into right field.

*Colby Backus pinch-running for Reese Chapman*

-Cannon Peebles strikes out swinging after a long at-bat.

END OF TOP HALF

B9

*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (4-0, 4.04 ERA) on to pitch for Behnke*

*Ariel Antigua to SS for Dean Curley*

-Hunter Hines pops up to SS.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Nate Snead (8-2, 3.30 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*

-Joe Powell grounds out to SS.

*Nate Chester pinch-hitting for Ethan Pulliam*

-Chester grounds out to SS.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Bulldogs 5

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Mississippi State Bulldogs 5